A Study of the Photoelectrical Signal from Human Nasal Cilia under Several Conditions

Abstract

The movement of normal human nasal cilia was analyzed. Ciliary beat was recorded by means of a phase-contrast microscope equipped with a photodetector. The electrical signal was analyzed as follows: i) a power spectrum was calculated in order to measure ciliary beat frequency (CBF), ii) the beat cycles were averaged and the standard deviation of the waveform was computed to determine signal consistency (SC), and iii) the ratio of the duration of the smooth to that of the steep part of the cycles was measured. This was done under three different conditions: 1) normal or "initial", 2) after induction of "function loss", and 3) after "salbutamol stimulation". At "function loss," the cilia beat slower and with less harmony. CBF decreased from an average of 9.0 Hz in the "initial" condition to 5.8 Hz. SC decreased from an average of 5.7 to 1.9. After "salbutamol stimulation", average CBF was partially restored to 7.7 Hz, while average SC increased to 4.4. These findings indicate that in ciliary function studies, SC, as a measure for ciliary beat harmony, may be introduced alongside CBF as a second valuable parameter. In this study we were not able to identify different phases in the signal that might be used as a third parameter to indicate the effective and the recovery stroke.

Analysis of ependymal ciliary beat pattern and beat frequency using high speed imaging: comparison with the photomultiplier and photodiode methods

“…The photomultiplier technique, initially described by Dalhamn [16], has been widely used to measure ciliary beat frequency [17,18]. The precise method by which the photomultiplier is used varies between authors, particularly regarding the size of the aperture used.…”

“…The variation in light intensity resulting from ciliary movement is detected by the photodiode and a signal generated which may be displayed on an oscilloscope [14] or processed by computer to give a power spectrum analysis [15]. The photomultiplier technique, initially described by Dalhamn [16], has been widely used to measure ciliary beat frequency [17,18]. Variations in the perpendicular light beam of the microscope, caused by beating cilia, are detected by a photosensitive cell.…”

The Nasal Delivery of Systemic Drugs

“…Drugs that act as beta 2 receptor agonists stimulate ciliary beat frequency 69 . Examples include terbutaline, 70 salbutamol, 71,72 and adrenaline 73 . Studies on human tracheobronchial clearance have shown that various beta receptor stimulants such as terbutaline, salbutamol, orciprenaline, isoproterenol, and metaproterenol all enhance mucociliary clearance 74‐78 .…”

Light-sheet laser speckle imaging for cilia motility assessment

“…In the conventional evaluation setup, the cilia sample is probed by a light beam that passes through the sample perpendicularly [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] . The transmitted light is subject to time-dependent intensity modulation by the beating cilia.…”